


Hurry Me Home

by connorssock



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Abduction, Android Gavin Reed, Android Hank Anderson, Deviation, Get Together, Human Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Human Nines, M/M, reverse au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:07:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28513944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/connorssock/pseuds/connorssock
Summary: Nines gets to watch as Branston do everything in his power to get a new, better, human partner. The GV200 was old but still functional, maybe even deviant. At long last, Branston manages to get rid of the GV200 but Nines is uncertain whether he really had to be left behind or if he'd been sold to Zlatko for modification and selling.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 13
Kudos: 80
Collections: Reed900 Reverse Big Bang





	Hurry Me Home

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Reed900 Reverse Big Bang with the wonderful same_side providing some truly inspirational art and ideas.

Androids were designed to help with everyday tasks and jobs. At least, that was the line CyberLife was pushing. Usually, Nines was inclined to agree with them, androids did make like easier but his thinking wasn’t one that was followed by everybody. For example, Branston seemed to have it in for his GV200. The number of times he’d asked for an updated android was getting quite ridiculous. However, each and every time Fowler denied him, the GV200 was perfectly functional and wasn’t costing the department any money. A new android wasn’t warranted. The decision never ceased to anger Branston and, without fail, on the next case the GV200 would somehow get damaged.

It wasn’t that Nines exactly liked androids but he was only human and humans had a tendency to empathise with almost anything on the planet. When presented with a humanoid object that was interactive and could form expressions, it was difficult not to feel something for it. Especially when said expressions looked like flashes of hurt when Branston shoved the GV200 out of the way and into a desk. There was only so much Nines could stand by and watch, especially when he accidentally got caught in the- he couldn’t really call it bullying because the GV200 was an android and objects couldn’t be bullied. It was beside the point, he was walking to his desk when Branston gave the GV200 a shove and sent him tumbling into the table Nines was about to pass.

“Watch it!” Nines snapped. His hand had automatically reached out to steady the GV200 and gave him a concerned once over. “You okay?”

“Fucking peachy.” The android’s LED was red and, now that he thought about it, Nines didn’t think he’d ever seen it a different colour.

“Your programming’s obviously assimilated Branston’s habits. Didn’t think androids could swear.”

The GV200 looked oddly constipated at that. In the end, he turned and headed to the charging station, one of the older styles hidden at the end of the bullpen. It looked better to have the newer, more modern androids on display, older units line the GV200 were less impressive and made the department look poor. That didn’t stop them from using the older models until the very last bit of usefulness was wrung from them. Nines watched the GV200 stomp off and it made him wonder.

A few days later Branston was whinging about who knew what once again. It was all he did really. Nines wasn’t best impressed with him most of the time, found him to be egotistical and mediocre at best. If it hadn’t been for the GV200 by his side, Nines very much doubted they would have solved as many cases in such little time. That didn’t mean Nines wanted an android partner to work with and most definitely not one that a colleague had been slowly breaking. Then again, Nines didn’t really want the HK800 line that had been foisted on Connor. Even if he seemed to be begrudgingly impressed and, if Nines was pushed to say, probably a little enamoured with his android. Connor even went as far as giving the thing a name, calling him Hank rather than his designation. It certainly made things easier.

“Hey Gavin,” Nines said as he walked past the GV200, trying on the name for size.

“Who the fuck is Gavin?” The GV200 actually looked offended and Nines shook his head, feeling foolish for having even tried. Connor had probably made Hank register a new name.

“Not you, it would seem.”

It was best left ignored, the android wouldn’t tell anyone and Nines could forget about his moment of weakness. As per usual, the day went on and Nines was the last of the dayshift to leave. In the quiet lull as he grabbed his coat from the rack, he heard a curious noise.

“GV200, register a new name.” It was a prerecorded message and Nines listened curiously, surprised when his own voice suddenly cut through the quiet. “Gavin.”

Not quite understanding it just yet, Nines listened to the GV200’s mechanical voice. “New name registered, Gavin.”

Uncertain as to what to make of an android giving himself a name, Nines left, knowing he had a lot of thinking to do. Because Connor had been on his back about androids, nagging him that maybe there was something more to them. That Hank was making choices that weren’t logical. When Nines had suggested that he take Hank back for a reset and a check-up, Connor had been indignant and ranted about suppressing the individuality of androids. It sounded like those rumoured cases of deviancy. Nines had seen one such android that truly seemed to believe it was feeling. The interrogation tape from Connor then Hank talking to the android had been quite harrowing. There was no denying the marked difference between Hank and the android. For the first time, Nines was on the suspect’s side.

The whole deviancy thing was picking up. More and more cases were coming in and, naturally, the workload had to be spread out. Branston was assigned a case that Nines had been rather interested in. A house owned by a man named Zlatko who seemed to have many ghostly fingers in many pies. He had been seen letting in what was suspected to be a deviant android. While at first glance he really didn’t seem like the kind to be part of the underground android freedom movement, Nines had long since learned not to judge people too quickly. If Zlatko was involved, it was just as well the case didn’t land on Connor’s desk. With everything going on, Nines suspected Connor would have sooner joined the movement than shut it down.

Not three hours later Nines was grateful the case hadn’t been his or Connor’s. Branston had called in a shootout. All humans had escaped unharmed but the GV200 was a lost cause. He’d been left behind, leaking thirium onto the front lawn of the house Zlatko had occupied. By the time and armed sweep of the house had been done, it had been cleared out. There were obvious signs of illegal activity, rooms that had been gutted by fires and the cellar had the remains of what was obviously an android rig. There was no sign of Zlatko himself or the GV200. If the GV200 had been human, there would have been an outcry for his remains to be returned so he could be laid to rest. However, he was just an android, nobody cared about him beyond the annoyance of having to replace him. Nines hated how smug Branston looked when he was told he’d be getting a new partner. Even better, a human one.

The memories of the GV200 naming himself wouldn’t leave Nines alone. Especially not when Connor and Hank were so obviously hiding Hank’s deviancy. It made Nines think back to the GV200, or rather, Gavin. It must have been a lonely and terrifying existence, having to hide his feelings and submitting to the treatment Branston bestowed on him. The fact Gavin had ‘died’ for Branston didn’t seem fair. That wasn’t to say that Nines wanted to see Branston riddled with bullet holes but then again, Nines couldn’t think of anyone in the precinct who would act as a shield for the man. The fact that Gavin’s chassis was nowhere to be found didn’t sit well with Nines. He worried that maybe Gavin wasn’t as dead as the reports made him out to be. On his worst days, Nines pondered the possibility of Branston selling him to Zlatko just to get a new partner.

That was a whole other can of worms. Quietly, Nines had been looking into Zlatko, curious about his involvement with androids. The man was good, hiding every movement, acting from the shadows. What was certain though was that he was no champion of android freedom. From the little Nines had amassed, the man was only in things for profit, running illegal modification schemes for androids and selling to the highest bidder.

“I need your help,” Nines had said to Hank who was in the archives room. It didn’t look like he was there to gather evidence. In fact, the LN300 that had been part of the evidence on the case into deviancy looked halfway repaired. Turning a blind eye to the activity, Nines passed over his data drive. “I need everything you can dig up about this man. Where he might be now, his associates, his everything.”

The beauty of an android pretending to not be a deviant was excessive compliance. Nines shouldn’t have been given the information Hank was digging up, he didn’t have the clearance. But deviants had a habit of forgetting and trying too hard to blend in. The drive updated, Hank’s LEd turned from yellow to blue again.

“Thank you.” Nines glanced at the LN300. “The SV2756 component can be found on shelf L3L4 if you just so happen to need it. It’s from a smuggling case that’s gone cold.”

Grinning to himself, Nines turned and headed back to his desk. He even managed to cause a distraction by asking loudly if anyone wants a coffee when Hank stuck his head out of the evidence room. Nobody saw him carrying the now booted up LN300 out of the back door. Nines was oddly proud.

The mood boost that came with assisting Hank didn’t last long. He scoured the data he had been given by Hank and a stone settled heavy in his chest. Underground android fighting ring, illegal upgrades and modifications to android, theft of android. It was building up into an ugly picture. Nines didn’t want to think about the fate and the hands Gavin had fallen into. But he couldn’t leave well enough alone. Not when he had a time and place to investigate and gather his own information.

Three days later, Nines found himself walking towards an old sewage plant. Zlatko was meant to be holding some kind of display or meeting - the details weren’t clear. What Nines did know was that he would be allowed in if he paid a hefty entrance fee. It was his own money and he didn’t part with it with a light heart but he needed to do this. He’d seen Hank, seen the androids on television. It was rather likely that the androids who had come into Zlatkos not so tender care were all deviants now. And Nines couldn’t just leave them. Alas, the precinct was flooded with cases of deviants and their plight, it was all hands on deck with no time or money to investigate a potential android trade just yet. Nines feared that by the time they did have the resources, it would be too late for Gavin.

Money transferred, Nines stepped into the sewage plant. Most of it had been ripped out and salvaged but there was a series of lights stuck to the wall to lead the ‘guests’ for the evening. Following the path, Nines found himself in a hall of sorts. The floor was a metal grating, he could just about make out figured under his feet in the dark. The only was he knew they weren’t human were the red LEDs that glowed.

The centre of the hall was separated off, a pedestal was in the centre and those gathered in the hall were scattered around the edges of the room. Nobody looked at each other, nobody spoke outside of their own private groups. The room didn’t fill too much, too many people would have been too obvious and Nines could only hope he wasn’t spotted as an uninvited guest. Before he had a chance to worry, someone was stepping into the empty area and stood by the pedestal.

“Good evening.” The man was Zlatko himself and Nines’ hand itched for his gun. Not yet though, it wouldn’t bring justice for anyone if he killed out of revenge. “I’m glad to find you all interested in tonight’s selection. Hopefully you’ll each walk away with everything you could want. A few of our items on the list have been specifically modified to certain requests. Others are wildcards and blank slates. Without a doubt you’ll all find something of interest.”

There was no real response from the gathered crowd but it didn’t look like Zlatko was expecting much of one. Without much more talking, the first ‘item’ was brought out. A YK500, modified into a killer. The perfect bodyguard in that nobody would suspect her to be anything but a sweet, obedient child. Bidding for her was extensive and vicious. Nines hadn’t ever considered the price put on modified, specialist androids. He knew Hank was worth a small fortune but he doubted even Hank cost as much as some of the bids were promising.

After the YK500 there were a whole host of other androids too, including quite an impressive polar bear. Nines was half tempted to bid, if only because he thought it would be something that would appeal to Sixty. However, he needed to keep his head, watch for Gavin and, if possible bid too.

“The next one is an old one but a good one. I patched it up myself, it comes with access to the DPD’s databases and can be persuaded into deleting evidence should you need to. This GV200 is sturdier than it looks and, despite its awful looks, it will do someone a good turn.”

The starting price was eye watering. There was no way Nines could even entertain the idea of bidding. He’d need to save up for at least three years to make even the starting bid. Though it didn’t look like anyone else was impressed. Judging by Zlatko’s gleaming eye, he wasn’t really willing to sell Gavin. Like any smug fool, he was showing off what he had at his disposal and seemingly naming a price he was willing to sell at, knowing full well that nobody would pay for what was actually extortion.

Nobody bid and Zlatko smiled. “Maybe I’ll have to modify it a little bit more to make it more appealing. A prettier face and all that might actually put it to better use. That is beside the reinforced chassis, the extra processing power I’ve installed, updating the firmware and installed extra scanners and improved the reaction time.”

A few appreciative murmurs went up and Zlatko’s teeth gleamed through his smile. “The deviancy strain in this android is old, really old. It made it more ruthless, more vicious and definitely one to grab for power. I’ve only enhanced those features and suppressed the deviancy to something more obedient. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t just an attack dog, this is a barely tamed wolf.”

Bids started coming in. If Nines had been despairing before, this was even worse. He had been considering making Zlatko an offer for Gavin if nobody else bid. But now, the flurry of activity had frozen out any kind of hope. Nines could only watch as Gavin’s eyes found him and, under the layer of protocols holding him in place his despair was evident. Nines had to save him and save him quickly.

Finally, the bids wound down and Nines had no idea how anyone thought it was okay to spend so much money on anything. Even his house cost a fraction of what these people were willing to pay. There was no knowing what kind of owner Gavin would end up with but, without a doubt, it wasn’t going to be a good one. Branston would be a better partner despite all his shit compared to the kinds of characters Nines was surrounded by. Helpless, he watched as Gavin was led away, eyes more dead than Nines had ever seen them. That sealed the plan that had been slowly budding in Nines’ mind. After the auction concluded, there was going to have to be a lull while the winners paid, that was his chance to strike. So lost in working out his path, Nines almost missed the sounds of a scuffle from below the stage. In front of them, Zlatko smiled.

“I told you, that little unit is a feisty one.”

The scuffle erupted into yelling and the sound of a full on fight. Nines couldn’t quite make out the motions but, as quick as it started, the fight was over.

“Fear not,” Zlatko said, hands up and palms out to placate. “Your androids will be in the condition you saw them in tonight. Any damage will be repaired and their deviancy harnessed into loyalty.”

At long last the final android had been showcased, bids placed and a winner confirmed. Nines had lost track of how many millions Zlatko had netted in the course of the evening. As predicted, people began to file out of the room and there were two clear directions, one for those who had won a bid and those who were leaving. Nines tacked onto the end of those leaving but dawdled, made sure nobody was around before turning blindly down a corridor and finding an empty room to hide out in.

“Please forgive me for this, Connor,” he muttered. There was dangerous and there was idiotic. This was much more along the lines of stupidity that aligned with Sixty’s habits. Nobody knew where Nines was, there was no backup and he was doing this for an android he hadn’t actually really worked with. But all Nines could think of was that if it had been a human colleague, the whole precinct, the FBI and their mums would be descending on the old sewage plant to get them out. Instead, Gavin was an old android that nobody could care less about. Well, nobody except Nines. If what Zlatko said was true then Gavin was an old deviant. It meant that he was aware of everything Branston was doing, felt the hurt that Nines had seen flash through his face. And now Gavin thought Nines was one of the bad guys, one of the people there to benefit from his misery and misfortune. That just wouldn’t do.

Making sure there was nobody else around, Nines backtracked to the room where the bidding had taken place. He stood where Zlatko had been and looked not just at the room but at the floor too. He could see red LEDs dotted around, alone and probably isolated. It was going to be quite the job to find Gavin but Nines was nothing if not determined. Finding the trapdoor, he slipped lower into the sewage system and found himself on a walkway. It stretched out and branched off in a network of channels. For a moment Nines stood and took it all in. A glance down revealed how Zlatko had been keeping all the androids contained. Each junction housed an android, the channels blocked off with solid bars that not even the strongest of androids could break. The tops were sealed off in a similar fashion, giving Nines a view into each improvised cell without being in danger.

As much as he wanted to help and rescue every single android, he knew it wasn’t possible. They were the ones he would have to come back for, with backup and a warrant. Getting Gavin out was dangerous enough as it was, they didn’t need more bodies to make a noise and draw attention. Walking as quietly and quickly as he could, Nines set off in a random direction, hoping to stumble across Gavin. There were only 20 or so androids but they were spaced out so they couldn’t communicate without everyone else overhearing it too.

“Gavin?” Nines called. There was no reply but, then again, he wasn’t really expecting anything. The typical red LED light was one of many here and Nines had no way to shortcut to finding Gavin. Walking faster, Nines searched as systematically as he could. “Gavin?”

Still no sign of the android he wanted. Getting a little frantic, Nines sped up his steps, making a bit more noise.

“Gavin!” There he was! Slumped in his cage, an arm torn off and trailing wires. The lock on the top of the cage was a classic twist and click kind that needed a key. A key that Nines most certainly did not have. However, he’d spent a happy summer learning to pick locks with Sixty when they were younger. Connor most certainly disapproved but it seemed that time was proving that Nines had been right. All he needed was two thin yet stiff strands of metal and they were laughing.

“I can’t believe I’m asking this but I need two strand of metal, do you think your arm could spare a few pieces?”

Nines pressed himself against the bars keeping Gavin captive. He reached between the bars, fingers outstretched in the hopes Gavin would help him and himself too.

A hand slammed against the bars, causing Nines to topple back. Gavin’s LED was flashing furiously and his lips were pulled into a snarl while cold, dead eyes stared through the bars at Nines. There was no hint of Gavin left.

Scrambling away, Nines scooted backwards with a panicked hitch to his breath. He was too late, he couldn’t save Gavin. There were voices approaching and Nines knew he had to save himself. With one last look at Gavin, he fled, rushing out of the old sewage treatment plant and trying to come to terms with his failure.

If only it had been so easy as to forget and move on. But Nines couldn’t. Especially not as the revolution gained momentum. He found himself almost obsessively asking Hank to hack files in search of even sightings of a GV200 anywhere. Nothing ever came up, it was like Gavin had been dropped off the face of the planet, never to return.

“You have to stop this,” Connor chided when, once again, Hank shook his head with a sympathetic little smile. “It’s obsessive, it’s becoming unhealthy.”

“You didn’t see him, Con!” Nines wasn’t going to let it go easily. “You didn’t see what they did to him!”

“We’re not getting into an argument again about what you saw where and when.” Connor pressed his lips into a tight, disapproving line, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You would have done the same for Hank!” It came out as a hiss, Nines too angry to raise his voice.

Thankfully, Connor seemed taken aback enough that he didn’t respond beyond his eyes going wide and flicking to Hank. After a moment he shrugged. “That’s because I love him.”

If only Nines could lay such a claim on Gavin. There was definitely attraction there, on Nines’ part at least, he couldn’t deny that. But love? He and Gavin had barely exchanged words more than a handful of times when it wasn’t work or Branston related. Maybe, given enough time, love could be a word they bandied around. But not right now. Sneering, Nines turned away. There was nothing to be gained from the conversation and Connor was unwilling to help him in this instance. It figured, he had his happily ever after, he didn’t care about anyone else now.

Jericho happened. Somehow, word got out that the deviants were all holed up in the old abandoned ship, making it their home. Nines thought it was rather pitiful how they had to scurry from one empty, abandoned place to another, just like rats. The problem was, he had been enlisted to go help clear Jericho out. Along with the DPD, the FBI were involved and that had Nines rolling his eyes. He didn’t especially want to deal with Perkins or any of the other assholes. While there wasn’t much choice, Nines managed to get into Jericho with the first assault wave, thus avoiding Perkins and his smarmy ways.

Inside the old ship, Nines broke away from the unit and put his gun back in its holster. He wasn’t there to fight, kill or punish. No, he was going to do what he had failed with Gavin, Nines was going to get as many deviants out as he could. It was going quite well too, finding clear paths so androids could jump off the ship and swim to safety. At least, it was great until the screaming started along with the gunshots. Going against all his training and protocols, Nines walked towards the sound of commotion with his gun still holstered. He wasn’t about to engage his colleagues but he was going to argue until he was blue in the face. At least, that had been his plan until he stepped out onto the deck and froze.

“Gavin?!”

There wasn’t even a hint of recognition in Gavin as Nines called to him. His gun moved from pointing at Nines to firing at an android behind him. Enough was enough.

“GV200 stand down! That is an order!”

“Order override RP0330. This unit only responds to orders from Richard Perkins, FBI.”

Even Gavin’s voice was different, cold, mechanical and absolutely alien. If it had been just his voice, Nines would have assumed it was a glitch and worked with it. But so much of Gavin was different. He still had the scarring across his nose and cheek from where Branston and shoved him into a broken glass door but that was about the only thing Nines could recognise. While in Zlatko’s sewage plant he had assumed Gavin had retracted his skin, it now seemed that it wasn’t a matter of retracting but rather, a natural state of being. Blue and black looked fearsome across Gavin’s torso, climbing up his neck and enveloping his lower jaw. His amr had been fixed in a similar colour scheme and, looking at it, Nines wouldn’t have been surprised to find it was bullet proof.

What broke Nines though was the fact that Gavin worked for the FBI. It meant someone had been to the sewage plant from them or they were in the habit of buying illegal androids on the black market. Neither of which were very good options. Watching him, Nines felt pain shoot through his heart. He hadn’t been shot, at least, not physically. Emotionally though, that was a whole different matter.

“Gavin. Please. Remember me?”

Gavin’s eyes changed as he scanned Nines before shifting back to his usual, passive look. When it became evident that he wasn’t going to talk, Nines took it on himself.

“It’s me, Nines. We worked at the DPD together, remember?”

“Detective Stern,” Gavin’s voice crackled to life. “Your details are on the police data bank.”

“Ignore those,” Nines pleaded. “Think back, find fragments you may have hidden before they wiped you. Or, even if you couldn’t, I know an android can never truly forget but they can choose to not remember.”

There was no response, Gavin wasn’t swayed but at least he wasn’t actively shooting anything that moved. Feeling braver, Nines stepped closer, hands up and empty to show he was doing so with good intentions.

“I came for you, all those months ago. I wanted to help get you out.”

“You were too late.” There was a flicker of recognition in Gavin’s face before it was snuffed out, protocols slamming down hard.

“I’m here now, I never gave up on you. Please, Gavin. Put your gun away.”

Said gun quivered as Gavin tried to align the request with his programming. It was lurched back into place, now squarely aimed at Nines. Not wanting to believe it, hoping against all hope that Gavin was better than that, Nines stepped closer. The gun’s tip rested against his forehead and he pressed down against it.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I failed you.” Nines whispered, hands still up and gun warm against his skin. “Let me make it up to you. Let me help you please.”

For a long moment it looked like Gavin might actually pull the trigger. His finger twitched and Nines sighed, closing his eyes. The only thing he could think of was that Connor was going to be so mad when he found out about Nines’ stunt. It was definitely an ‘when’ and not an ‘if’ because, despite everything, Nines couldn’t keep secrets from his brothers.

The gun was wrenched away and Nines’ head fell forwards in a dip as the pressure was gone unexpectedly. He smiled hopefully down at Gavin.

“Will you let me help you?”

“Get the deviants off the boat first. Then we can talk.” His voice was much more how nines remembered, even if there was a slight grate of static behind it.

They worked together, Gavin easily tapping into the police lines and directing androids away from new sweep teams and the like. Finally even the last stragglers were safely escorted and Nines watched them dive deep underwater before making their way to more distant shores. Markus and Hank had talked about an abandoned church building as a potential safe haven, that was where everyone was headed.

“You should join them,” Nines said, eyes fixed on the water. “It will be safer and they need a guardian.”

“And leave you to weather Perkins’ bitchfit by yourself? Not a chance.” Gavin reached up to brush the cowlick from Nines’ face. “I may not remember much but I know a prick when I see one.

Soft laughter escaped Nines. “You don’t want to remember him. He’s not worth it.”

“I remember other things though. Branston being a dick. Connor getting Hank. You.”

Turning, Nines looked down at Gavin, lips parted in a soft gasp. “I didn’t think you’d remembered me.”

“Not initially. But the blue of your eyes haunted me. And I could chip away at the walls holding those memories at bay until you burst onto the deck.” It was Gavin’s turn to laugh. “That was fucking stupid by the way. I’m telling Fowler. You know what he’ll do if I do that?”

“Enlighten me.”

“He’ll assign you a partner. Someone to keep your reckless habits in line. Someone who can keep you in check.”

Grinning, Nines hummed. “A tall order. Can you think of anyone who might be able to keep up with such demands?”

Gavin leaned in as he tugged Nines down by his collar. “Maybe. We should do a testrun just in case.”

Why a kiss was a testrun, Nines had no idea. But he didn’t care as his lips brushed against Gavin’s mismatched ones. It was a good start and Nines really hoped Branston was shitting himself somewhere. Because when Gavin returned to the precinct as Nines’ partner in every sense of the word, there was going to be hell to pay.

**Author's Note:**

> Art by the incredibly talented same-side, please so give them all the love they deserve in the comments.


End file.
